INFORMAL SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP REGARDING ELDERLY WITH HYPERTENSION AND/OR DIABETES

Resumo

Aim: to evaluate the informal social relations among the elderly with diagnosis of hypertension and/or diabetes, residing in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul. Method: crosssectional population-based study. A total of 1,593 people aged 60 and over were interviewed, of whom 947 had a diagnosis of hypertension and/or diabetes. Results: The prevalence of "informal social relations" was distributed in weak, moderate and strong. The statistical difference among the groups was evaluated with chi-square test and confidence intervals of 95%. Results: the percentage of weak informal relationships was 51.0%, with higher proportions among the elderly aged over 74 years, lower educational level, C and D socioeconomic classification, residents in multigenerational households, with more people and in areas covered by the “Estratégia Saúde da Família” health strategy. Conclusion: the results reinforce the need to develop social protection mechanisms for the elderly with chronic morbidity, in order to minimize the risk of living alone.